Course Syllabus
Contemporary Korean Cinema:
National Identity and Transnational Migration
Global Collaborative Program
Kyung Hee University
Summer 2015
Instructor: Prof. Hye Jean Chung
Email: chunghj@khu.ac.kr
Course Description
This course is an introduction to contemporary Korean films from the late-1990s
to the present. We will study current trends in the film industry and screen cultures of
South Korea, such as the emergence of auteurs and blockbuster formats, their local
reception and global recognition, the question of “Korean-ness,” national identity, and
the re-imaginings of nationalism in the global context. We will cover such issues as
national trauma, political ideology, familial ties, gender relations, the modernization
process, national identity, cultural specificity, and intersections of the national and the
transnational. Students will examine narrative and documentary films with the aim to
question the role of the nation in national cinema: What constitutes the “Korean-ness”
in Korean films? How can we discuss the cultural specificity of Korean films? What
kinds of political, social, cultural, and industrial influences affect the Korean film
industry? What are the forces behind the recent “renaissance” of Korean cinema, and
what films are representative of this “New Korean Cinema”? What kinds of debates and
discussions are generated by the rejuvenation of the Korean film industry? In this
course, we will study concepts of the nation, national identity, and national cinema,
while questioning their validity and significance in a global and transnational context.
Readings:
All reading material will be made available to the registered students via email. These
readings are required, not optional, and they should be done before the class meeting
for which they are listed. You should read them thoroughly and rigorously in a critical
manner, paying attention to their main arguments and the questions they raise. Please
print them out as hard copies to underline, make notes, and bring them to class.
Screenings:
As this is a class on Korean cinema, we will be watching film clips in class. Participating
in the group screenings is vital. As a group, we will discuss the clips to enhance our
enjoyment and understanding of the class material. You are encouraged to take notes
during screenings to help you remember important points for class discussions.
Course Schedule
Week 1:
Mon. New Korean Cinema
Readings:
Hyangjin Lee, “South Korea: Film on the Global Stage”
Darcy Paquet, “A Short History of Korean Film”
Tues. Thinking Nationally: Ideas of the Nation and National Cinema
Readings:
Sunah Kim. “National Cinema – Who Is It For? The History and Context of the Korean
Cinema,” Korean Cinema: from Origins to Renaissance.
Alan Williams, “Introduction,” Film and Nationalism.
Wed. National Trauma
Readings:
Frances Gateward. “Waiting to Exhale” The Colonial Experience and the Trouble with
My Own Breathing.”
“Murder is a Mirror of Society, the Underbelly, the Dark Side: Jung Yoon-suk Explores
Crime and Punishment in Non-Fiction Diary,” Korean Cinema Today.
Thurs. Transnational Korean Cinema: Mixing Genres and Crossing Borders
Readings:
Soyoung Kim, “The Good, the Bad, the Weird and the Manchurian Western.”
Nikki J.Y. Lee, “Localized Globalization and a Monster National: The Host and the
South Korean Film Industry.” Cinema Journal.
Fri. Thinking Globally: Transnational Trajectories
Readings:
Shin, Jeeyoung. “Globalization and New Korean Cinema,” New Korean Cinema.
“Bong Joon-Ho: Snowpiercer Speeding on at Full Tilt” “What Snowpiercer Means to
the Korean Film Industry,” Korean Cinema Today
***This syllabus is a guide, so changes in schedule or readings may occur. You will be
properly notified in advance when changes need to be made.